Composition and Origin of Shallow Biogenetic Gases in the Baise Basin, South China

Abstract

Based on the analytical data of over 30 gas samples, combined with geochemical and geological backgrounds, the composition and distribution characteristics of shallow biogenetic gases in the Baise Basin, a Tertiary residual basin in southern China, were extensively investigated, and the origin and formation mechanism tentatively approached. The shallow gases are primarily composed of gaseous hydrocarbons, generally accounting for over 90%. The abundances of methane and C2+ homologues show a relatively wide range of variation, mainly 50%–100% and 0%–50%, respectively, depending on the mixing proportions between biogenetic and thermogenic gases. A highly negative carbon isotope is the significant signature for the shallow gases with δ13C1 values of ?55‰ to ?75‰. According to molecular and isotopic compositions and light hydrocarbon parameters, the shallow gases in the basin can be classified into three types of origins: biogenetic gas, biogenetic/thermogenic mixed gas, and oil-biodegraded gas. They exhibit regular distribution both spatially and temporally, and are believed to be associated with the maturity of adjoining gas source rocks and biodegraded oil accumulation. The Baigang and Nadu source rocks can be considered to have experienced early and late gas generation during early burial and after basin uplift respectively. A late accumulation mechanism of multiple gas sources is put forward for the formation of the shallow gas reservoirs, which is responsible for the variations in chemical and isotopic composition of the gases in depth profile.